Appendices A-L which are a part of the present disclosure, are attached herewith in a microfiche consisting of a total of 18 sheets that contain a total of 1,138 frames.
Appendix A contains computer programs and related data for programming a microcontroller e.g. COP 820CJ available from National Semiconductor Corporation, 1090 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086, used in a remote control as described below. On being programmed by the computer programs of Appendix A, the microcontroller wakes up in response to a predetermined event and causes a signal transmitter to transmit a remote control signal carrying an identifier code that identifies, at least partially, the information to be displayed as described below. The computer programs of Appendix A can be compiled by the in-circuit simulator xe2x80x9cice MASTER COP8 Modulexe2x80x9d also available from National Semiconductor Corporation.
Appendix B describes an infrared protocol called xe2x80x9cTVIRxe2x80x9d used in the computer programs of Appendix A to encode the predetermined number in the remote control signal, and used in the computer programs of Appendix C to decode the number from the remote control signal.
Appendix C contains computer programs and related data for programming another microcontroller e.g. COP922C used in a signal receiver to extract data from a remote control signal and to pass the extracted data to a host device. The computer programs of Appendix C can also be compiled by the in-circuit simulator xe2x80x9cice MASTER COP8 Modulexe2x80x9d (described above).
Appendix D describes an architecture of the host device and the format of data supplied by the signal receiver to the host device using the well-known RS-232 signal interface.
Appendices E-G contain computer programs and related data for programming a host device including e.g. the microprocessor PENTIUM available from INTEL Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif., and the operating system WINDOWS 95 available from MICROSOFT Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Wash. 98052. The computer programs of Appendices E-G cause the host device to respond to the identifier code received by the signal receiver by displaying information indicated by the identifier code. The computer programs of Appendices E-G can be compiled by the following programming tools available from MICROSOFT Corporation (at the above address) and well known to a person skilled in the art of programming host devices. For the assembly language and C language computer programs in Appendices E-G:
For the VBX computer program in Appendix E (Pages 94-107):
Appendix H is a reference guide for a parameter file used by the computer program in Appendix I (described below).
Appendix I contains visual basic language computer program that causes a personal computer to receive the data from a remote control signal and display the selected information. The programs in Appendix I can be compiled by:
Microsoft Visual Basic v. 3.0 (professional edition)
Appendix J contains subroutines called by the software in Appendix F.
Appendix K contains Java code that can be compiled by:
Microsoft Visual J++v.1.1 (Professional Edition)
Appendix L contains software used to translate an identification code received from a remote control into an Internet address used to retrieve and display the selected information.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for the remote control of the display of information by an interactive media, such as a host device, e.g., a personal computer (PC) or a television (TV).
A conventional remote control for a television (TV) includes a rectangular box, with buttons that are marked with symbols, such as the numerals xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d . . .xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. A user touches one or more such buttons to switch the TV""s display to a desired channel. For example, the user instructs the TV to display channel 5 by pressing a button labeled xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d. However, the user performs several steps prior to the display: consults a TV guide, selects a desired program, remembers a channel number for the program, and enters the channel number on the remote control. Alternatively, the user presses a button labeled for example xe2x80x9cCH+/xe2x88x92xe2x80x9d to sequentially display each TV channel, until the user finds a desirable TV program.
Universal remote controls allow a user to control the operation of a video cassette player (VCR) in addition to the TV, e.g. to control a movie""s retrieval by the VCR and display by the TV. However, the user again performs several steps prior to the display: reviews a list of available movies (for example by consulting an index in a movie rental store), selects and rents a desired movie""s video tape, brings home and inserts the video tape into the VCR, tunes the TV to a predetermined channel, e.g. channel 3, and then presses a button labeled xe2x80x9cPLAYxe2x80x9d on the remote control.
A settop box available from VideoGuide, Inc., 209 Burlington Road, Bedford, Mass., 01730 (see the Web page at www.vgi.com on the Internet), displays on a user""s TV a list of upcoming TV programs, and requires the user to press a button labeled xe2x80x9cTVxe2x80x9d to select one of the listed TV programs. See also the Web page at www.theGIST.com for another similar product.
A mouse and a keyboard for remotely controlling information displayed on a computer""s monitor are also well known. The mouse and keyboard are more difficult to use than a TV remote control, because the user is required to be knowledgeable about computers. Specifically, the user must know computer instructions or be aware of the need to press, e.g., a left button of the mouse while a cursor is positioned on an icon.
A remote control in accordance with this invention includes a remote control base (also called simply xe2x80x9cbasexe2x80x9d), and an insert that is attached in a detachable manner to the remote control base. The base includes (1) a support structure, (2) a remote control circuit supported by the support structure, and (3) a button also supported by the support structure and coupled to operate the remote control circuit. On operation of the button(s), the remote control circuit generates a signal that can control the operation of a host device, such as a personal computer (PC) or a television.
The insert includes a printed publication having one or more leaves that are printed with content such as text and graphics. A user assembles the remote control by physically attaching the insert to the base so that a leaf of the printed publication is laid over the button in the base. Thereafter, when the user touches content (e.g. text or graphics) located on the leaf (e.g. printed thereon or affixed by a sticker), pressure from the touch transfers through the leaf to operate the button and transmit a remote control signal (e.g. a xe2x80x9cwireless signalxe2x80x9d or a signal over a cable) to the host device.
The printed publication is attached to the base in a detachable manner so that the user can replace the attached printed publication with another printed publication, thereby to reuse the base any number of times. Detachable attachment of a printed publication to the remote control base allows the attached printed publication to be free of electronic components, and therefore be manufactured by conventional printing processes.
In a first embodiment, the insert includes, as the printed publication, a single leaf, e.g. a card (such as a postcard, a playing card, or a business card). In this embodiment, the base has the form of a normal remote control (e.g. length being several times width). The base includes a fastener formed by two xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped channels that each face the other along the longitudinal side of the base. In this embodiment, the user assembles the remote control by sliding two opposite edges of a card within the two channels of the fastener until the card touches a portion (also called xe2x80x9cstop memberxe2x80x9d) of the base. Therefore, at the end of assembly, text and/or graphics carried in a central region of the card lie over a button that is located between the two channels.
Thereafter, when the user touches the text and/or graphics on the card, pressure from the touch operates the underlying button, and in response the remote control circuit generates and transmits a signal to the host device. The signal carries data (e.g. x and y coordinates) indicative of the touched location on the card. On receipt of the signal, the host device visually displays information related to the text and/or graphics at the touched location on the card. The touched location""s text and/or graphics is related to (e.g. is descriptive of, or is derived from) the to-be-displayed information.
For example, touching the content xe2x80x9cCHINA AIRLINESxe2x80x9d of a card (when mounted on the base) generates a remote control signal that instructs a host device to automatically display electronic content accessible in the form of a page (also called xe2x80x9cWeb pagexe2x80x9d) on the World Wide Web part of Internet at the address www.china-airlines.com. Such electronic content can be held in a storage media that is coupled to the host device by a server, for example, through a public or private network such as a telephone network, a satellite network, or a cable network. Alternatively, the electronic content can be held in a storage media that is packaged with the insert, and that is inserted into the host device by the user.
The information displayed by the host device, and the content carried by the insert have an association (hereinafter xe2x80x9cremote electronic associationxe2x80x9d) that is implemented by transmission of the signal generated by the remote control circuit. Moreover, there is a visual association between the insert""s content and the underlying button implemented in one embodiment by the fastener (e.g. the above-described channels) that aligns the insert to the base.
In this embodiment, the alignment is sufficient to ensure that an insert is positioned at approximately the same position on the base each time the remote control is assembled, so that content on the insert is appropriately aligned to one or more buttons in the base. For example, the base has a distance (also called xe2x80x9cwidthxe2x80x9d) between the two channels that is approximately equal to the width of an insert to be used in the base. Repeatability in the positioning of an insert with respect to the base ensures that approximately the same coordinates of a touched location are sensed by the underlying button(s), irrespective of the number of times or the way in which the insert is attached to the base.
In this particular embodiment, the card carries a pattern (e.g. formed as a bar code or a series of punched holes), and the remote control base includes an identity reader (e.g. formed by a series of sensors, such as photodiodes or phototransistors) that reads the pattern. The remote control circuit transmits in the signal a number determined by the identity reader from the pattern, thereby to uniquely identify to the host device the card currently attached to the base, so that the base can be reused any number of times with such cards.
A xe2x80x9ccard readerxe2x80x9d remote control as described above allows a user to simply use a card (e.g. torn from a printed publication, such as the TIME(trademark) magazine) to pull up a display of information on a host device. So such a remote control eliminates the-need for a user to consult a guide (e.g. TV guide) and remember, e.g. a channel number or an Internet address as required in the prior art. Instead, the user simply touches human-understandable content located on a card mounted on the base, and pressure from the touch operates a button coupled to a remote control circuit that in turn transmits a signal (either wirelessly or over a cable) to control the display of related information.
In a second embodiment, the insert includes, as the printed publication, a booklet having a number of leaves (also called xe2x80x9csheetsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d), e.g. a catalog or a magazine. In such an embodiment, the base includes a file folder having a front cover, a back cover and a spine connecting the two covers. The file folder includes, mounted on the spine, a fastener capable of detachably holding the insert. Such a fastener includes, e.g. three rings capable of holding a booklet having three corresponding holes. In this particular embodiment, each booklet initially holds a storage media, e.g. an optical disc (such as a CD-ROM) that is encoded with the information to be displayed in response to touching a region of the booklet when mounted in the remote control base.
Instead of a booklet, in an alternative embodiment the three-ring fastener holds a single sheet of paper having the three corresponding holes. Therefore, a remote control having the three ring fastener can be used with printed publications having either: (a) single leaf or (b) multiple leaves.
In other embodiments, instead of a three-ring fastener, other types of fasteners are used, e.g. a female rail having a xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d shaped cross-section that can hold a single leaf. Such a single leaf can support a booklet, thereby allowing a remote control having the rail to be used with multiple leaves in a printed publication. Moreover, in one variant of the card reader remote control, the card supports a booklet thereby to make leaves in the booklet touch sensitive.
A remote control as described herein has several unexpected advantages. For example, as an insert is mounted removably on a remote control base, the base can be reused any number of times, thereby resulting in lower cost than if a remote control circuit is integrated into the insert. Therefore, inserts can be manufactured by conventional printing processes. Furthermore, a remote control as described herein allows the display of electronic content on a bulky device (such as a TV or a PC) located at a distance from the remote control, thereby allowing a user to simply touch a mounted card and view a display of information related to content carried by the card.
Furthermore, the above-described file-folder remote control is compatible with the standard three-hole format of normal catalogs. Therefore normal catalogs can be modified for use in a file-folder remote control by simply providing a mark on each touch-sensitive leaf of the catalog, thereby to allow a user to identify to a host device the leaf that is currently laid open.
Also, the form of a file-folder remote control provides the user with a level of comfort due to familiar appearance that is otherwise lacking in a remote control of the prior art. Specifically, a user can flip through the leaves of a printed publication in the normal manner, and when desired merely touch appropriate locations to pull up the display of related information. Moreover, a user can easily access information related to the printed content on two adjacent leaves that are laid open, with a first leaf laid over a front cover and a second leaf laid over a back cover.
Therefore, a printed publication when mounted in the file folder remote control can be laid open and touched in the normal manner of a book. Furthermore, printed content on both sides of a leaf can be used to select information, e.g. by using a back cover for one side, simply turning over the leaf and using the front cover for the other side. Such a file folder remote control having a button in each of a front cover and a back cover eliminates the need to remove and re-insert a leaf as required by the card-reader remote control. Also, the file-folder remote control does not have an identity reader, and is therefore cheaper than the card-reader remote control.
In a third embodiment, a remote control includes features of both the above-described remote controls of the first and second embodiment. Specifically, in one implementation, the remote control includes a file folder with a fastener in the form of a female rail having a xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d shaped cross section, with a barcode scanner mounted in a cavity of the rail. In this particular embodiment, the insert includes a leaf on which is mounted a booklet, with a portion (also called xe2x80x9cflapxe2x80x9d) of the leaf forming a male rail. The mail rail carries a barcode to be read by the scanner during insertion of the male rail into the cavity of the female rail.
A remote control base as described herein can include one or more additional input devices, e.g.
(1) a pointing device (such as a touch pad, a mouse, a trackball, or a joystick) that controls the movement of a cursor on a monitor of the host device, and/or
(2) an alphanumeric device (such as a keyboard) that allows a user to type in, for example, a search word related to the displayed information, thereby to pull up additional information related to the specific content carried by the insert.